The present invention relates to an intermediate electrical connector for connecting to a mating connecting member, which may include a mating connector or a circuit board. The present invention also relates to an electrical connector assembled component equipped with the intermediate electrical connector and the mating connector thereof.
As a conventional connector and a conventional electrical connector assembled component of this type, for example, Patent Reference has disclosed a conventional intermediate electrical connector.
Patent Reference: United States Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0214343
According to Patent Reference, the conventional electrical connector assembled component is mounted on a circuit board that forms a horizontal surface, and is fitted and connected to a mating connector from a side of the conventional intermediate electrical connector. Here, the mating connector includes an electrical connector for a circuit board to be mounted on another circuit board.
According to Patent Reference, the conventional intermediate electrical connector includes a plurality of blades and a housing. Each of the blades has a flat shape, and is respectively electrically connected to the mating connector and the circuit board. The housing arranges and holds the blades in a plate thickness direction thereof and in an arrangement direction thereof. Each of the blades includes a plurality of signal terminals and ground plates. The signal terminals are arranged by a flat base member so as to be arranged on a surface horizontal to a plate surface of the base member. The ground plates extend in a horizontal direction relative to a plate surface of the base member, corresponding to the range where the signal terminals are arranged.
In the conventional intermediate electrical connector, each signal terminal has a shape being bent between a side end and a lower end of the blade, and includes a signal contact portion and a signal connecting portion. The signal contact portion is provided on a side end of the blade for contacting with the mating connector. The signal connecting portion is provided at a lower end of the blade for connecting to the circuit board by soldering. Each signal terminal extends being bent between the signal contact portion and the signal connecting portion within a surface horizontal to the plate surface of the base member. The signal contact portion and the signal connecting portions are connected by a joining section. The signal contact portions and the signal connecting portions are disposed respectively protruding from side ends and lower end of the base member.
In the conventional intermediate electrical connector, the ground plates are provided to cover the range where the joining sections of the signal terminals are present. Moreover, the signal contact portions and the signal connecting portions of the signal terminals are not covered with the ground plates. Each ground plate includes a flexible grounding contact portion, which extends sideward from a side end of the ground plate being adjacent to the signal contact portion.
In the conventional intermediate electrical connector, the mating connector includes a plurality of mating signal terminals, a plurality of mating ground plates, and a housing. The mating signal terminals extend straight sideward, and are arranged corresponding to the signal terminals of the blade. The mating ground plates are disposed corresponding to the arrangement range of the mating signal terminals. The housing holds the mating signal terminals and the mating ground plates.
In the conventional intermediate electrical connector, the mating signal terminal includes a mating signal contact portion at one end thereof and a mating signal connecting portion at the other end thereof. The mating signal contact portion is to be connected to the signal contact portion of the intermediate electrical connector. The mating signal connecting portion is to be connected to the signal circuit unit of the other circuit board. The mating signal contact portion and the mating signal connecting portions are joined with a mating joining section.
In the conventional intermediate electrical connector, the mating ground plates are provided so as to cover the range of the mating signal contact portions and the mating joining sections, which are provided on the mating signal terminals. Moreover, each mating ground plate includes a mating grounding contact portion being adjacent to the mating signal terminal. The mating grounding contact portions contact with the grounding contact portions of the ground terminals of the intermediate electrical connector. The mating grounding contact portions are formed to have a rib-like shape that protrudes from plate surfaces of the mating ground plates.
According to Patent Reference, when the mating connector is fitted and connected to the conventional intermediate electrical connector from a side thereof, the signal contact portions of the signal terminals and the grounding contact portions of the ground terminals, which are provided on the respective blades of the intermediate electrical connector, and the mating signal contact portions of the mating signal terminals and the mating grounding contact portions of the mating ground terminals of the mating connector contact to each other with contact pressure so as to be electrically connected to each other.
According to Patent Reference, the ground plates of the conventional intermediate electrical connector cover the range where the joining sections of the plurality of signal terminals are present, but do not cover the range where the signal contact portions of the signal terminals are present. Therefore, in a state that the conventional intermediate electrical connector is connected the mating connector, the contact parts, where the signal contact portions of the signal terminals and the mating signal terminals contact, are not shielded by the ground plates. Therefore, there is concern that signal transmission at the contact parts could be affected by noises from outside.
In addition, the signal terminals and the mating signal terminals are preferably configured so as to match the impedance to each other at the contact parts.
According to Patent Reference, as described above, the contact parts are not covered with the ground plates. Even if it is attempted to adjust the impedance to preferable values between the both signal terminals by forming a shielding section to cover the connecting parts on the ground plates and adjust the shape of the shielding section, since it is essential for the grounding contact portions formed on the side ends of the ground plates to have flexibility, there is restriction in designing of the shapes of the shielding sections. Therefore, it is not easy to provide a shielding section that enables to obtain preferred impedance. For this reason, according to Patent Reference, it is difficult to stably transmit signals.
In view of the above-described issues of the conventional intermediate electrical connector, an object of the present invention is to provide an intermediate electrical connector and an electrical connector assembled component, whereby it is possible to securely shield the contact parts where the signal terminals of the intermediate electrical connector and the mating signal terminals of the mating connector contact to each other, to easily adjust the impedance at the contact parts between the terminals, and to achieve stable signal transmission.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent, from the following description of the present invention.